Special Reports

After the injured first officer stumbled out of the Cessna Citation that crash-landed at Birmingham [England] Airport last November, he explained to the first firefighter on the scene that the wreckage contained a donated organ, according to BBC News.

While plenty of companies used private lift in the first half of the last century, business aviation really took off after World War II, thanks to the availability of inexpensive former military aircraft and out-of-work pilots and the development of purpose-built jets like the Sabreliner and Lockheed Jetstar.

The National Championship Air Races and Airshow will once again be held at Reno Stead Airfield in Reno, Nev. Scheduled for September 14 to 18, this is the last pylon racing event in the world, where seven classes of aircraft race around the course–sometimes at more than 500 mph.

Is economizing the new normal? Certainly not for all users of business aviation. But evidence from several quarters suggests that many private-aircraft travelers, including experienced owners who fly frequently, are placing cost higher on their list of considerations.

As soon as its first owner departs from the manufacturer’s delivery center, a new airplane technically become used (or pre-owned). For various reasons, however, 10 years after an aircraft’s production date is generally considered the milestone separating “newer” used business aircraft from “older” ones.

For Mike, a part-owner of a mid-size jet, the moment of truth came when the company that insured the aircraft started sending requests for payment. The problem was, he and his partners had already prepaid for their insurance through JetDirect Aviation, the firm that managed the aircraft and made it available for charters.

For most private fliers, the ability to drive to a nearby airport and board a waiting business jet affords sufficient convenience. But what if the nearest airport isn't all that near and you often need to take off on short notice, perhaps for places that are themselves not near airports? In that case, adding a heliport to your home could make sense.

Remember the CEOs from Chrysler, Ford and GM who flew on business jets to Washington to testify before a Congressional committee in the fall of 2008? Pressed to explain their use of corporate aircraft, they all looked and sounded as if they'd been caught doing something wrong.